conspire
verb/kənˈspaɪə(ɹ)/
Etymology From Middle English conspiren, from Old French conspirer, from Latin conspirare, conspīrō, from con- (combining form of cum (“with”)) + spīrō (“breathe”).
1
To secretly plot or make plans together, often with the intention to bring bad or illegal results; to collude, to connive, to plot.
- They conspired against [Joseph] to slay him.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 37:18:
- And there came a man, rushing from the farthest end of the city. He said, “O Moses! The chiefs are actually conspiring against you to put you to death, so leave ˹the city˺. I really advise you ˹to do so˺.”2015, Mustafa Khattab, transl., The Clear Quran, →ISBN, surah 28, verse 20:
2
To agree, to concur to one end.
- The press, the pulpit, and the stage / Conspire to censure and expose our age.
- I feel my vanquish'd heart conspire To crown a flame by Heav'n approv'd.1744, Georg Friedrich Händel, Hercules, act 3, scene 5:
3
To work together to bring about.
- Rain and sweat conspired to smudge her mascara.
- Angry clouds conspire your overthrow.1597, [Joseph Hall], “(please specify the page)”, in Virgidemiarum, Sixe Bookes. First Three Bookes, of Tooth-lesse Satyrs. […], London: […] Thomas Creede, for Robert Dexter, →OCLC:
- Synonyms
- collogue
- Derived terms
- coconspire, conspiringly, conspirophile, nonconspiring, unconspired, unconspiring
- Related terms
- co-conspirator, conspiracy, conspiration, conspirator, inspire, spirit